France
The vast and diverse wine regions of France, each with its own unique terroirs, grape varieties, and winemaking techniques, are a treasure trove.
In Bordeaux, the birthplace of some of the world's most iconic wines, esteemed vineyards such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, and Château Haut-Brion produce exceptional red wines, showcasing the art of blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The region is also renowned for its exquisite white wines, with vineyards like Château d'Yquem and Domaine de Chevalier producing legendary sweet wines.
Moving to Burgundy, the vineyards of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, and Domaine Armand Rousseau capture the essence of the region's revered terroir, crafting exquisite red wines from the Pinot Noir grape. Meanwhile, Domaine Leflaive and Domaine Coche-Dury are celebrated for their world-class white wines, predominantly made from Chardonnay.
The Champagne region, known for its sparkling wines, boasts illustrious houses such as Krug, Dom Pérignon, and Moët & Chandon, as well as grower-producers like Pierre Péters and Jacques Selosse. These vineyards create exceptional sparkling wines using the traditional method, offering a symphony of delicate bubbles, elegant flavors, and vibrant acidity.
In the Rhône Valley, iconic vineyards like Chapoutier, E. Guigal, and Château de Beaucastel produce remarkable red wines in the northern appellations of Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Cornas, showcasing the elegance and power of Syrah. Further south, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is celebrated for its rich and full-bodied red blends, with Château Rayas and Clos des Papes leading the way.
In Alsace, vineyards such as Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and omaine Trimbach craft exquisite white wines, including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, expressing the region's unique terroir and varietal character.
These are just a few highlights among the diverse array of wines that France offers. From the Loire Valley's crisp whites and elegant reds to the Languedoc-Roussillon's bold and robust wines, each region presents its own vinous treasures.
France
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WA) | HK$4,170.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98)Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Rieussec sings of crème caramel, chopped nuts, baked apples and spiced pears with hints of jasmine, peach blossoms and beeswax. Full-bodied, rich and decadently creamy in the mouth, the multilayered palate is beautifully lifted with fantastic freshness. It has a very long finish offering a lasting impression of great elegance and finesse. Simply stunning. |
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Bordeaux | 6 | 96-97 (JS) | HK$3,335.00 | |||||
James Suckling (96-97)This is a fabulous Sauternes with dried peaches, pineapples and mango. Apricots and hints of spices. Even jam. Full-bodied, medium sweet with intense and powerful palate. This wine has 147 grams of residual sugar. So balanced and long. We will see what is better -- Rieussec or Yquem? |
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Bordeaux | 8 | 91-94 (VN (ID)) | HK$3,335.00 | |||||
Vinous - Ian D'Agata (91-94)(95.5% semillon and 4.5% sauvignon blanc): Full medium yellow. Pineapple and mango along with lemony botrytis and sexy vanillin oak notes on the enticing nose. Big, rich, dense and powerful, with and impressively rich semillon texture; pineapple and ripe, smoky yellow peach flavors are given a penetrating quality by strong, harmonious acidity. This firmly built, long Sauternes ought to age very well. |
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Bordeaux | 27 | 94 (VN (AG)) | HK$2,800.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)The 2014 Rieussec is rich, creamy and ample. Orange peel, mint, apricot jam and tropical fruits grace the palate in a sensual, rich Sauternes that exudes class. Already showing slightly forward notes in its bouquet, the 2014 will enter its prime drinking window sooner than other recent vintages (the 2013 comes to mind). This is a very pretty and complete Sauternes with all of its elements in the right place. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (JS) | HK$5,710.00 | |||||
James Suckling (97)So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous. |
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Bordeaux | 6 | 97 (JS) | HK$2,565.00 | |||||
James Suckling (97)So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous. |
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Bordeaux | 11 | 98 (JD) | HK$1,270.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Getting a big “Wow” in my notes, the 2017 Chateau Rieussec is an extraordinary Sauternes that has everything. Awesome notes of orange zest, honeyed flowers, ripe pineapple, peach, and spice all soar from the glass, and this beauty is already complex, has full-bodied richness and power, a great mid-palate, and a beautiful spine of acidity. It's a brilliant, brilliant wine that can be enjoyed today or cellared for two decades or more. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JD) | HK$2,145.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Getting a big “Wow” in my notes, the 2017 Chateau Rieussec is an extraordinary Sauternes that has everything. Awesome notes of orange zest, honeyed flowers, ripe pineapple, peach, and spice all soar from the glass, and this beauty is already complex, has full-bodied richness and power, a great mid-palate, and a beautiful spine of acidity. It's a brilliant, brilliant wine that can be enjoyed today or cellared for two decades or more. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 93-95 (WA) | HK$2,525.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93-95)Rieussec was hit by hail on the 15th of July, says Eric Kohler. For Sauternes, the botrytis began very late. It was very difficult for the botrytis to begin. There was not so much sugar this year and not so much botrytis. This is not as great a year as 2015 or 2017. Harvest at Rieussec began on October 10 and ended on October 31. Blended of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, the pale lemon-gold colored 2018 Rieussec reveals delicate scents of lemon drops, pear tart, marzipan and crushed stones over a core of orange blossoms, white peaches and lime leaves. The palate has a quiet intensity of an array of citrus and savory layers with amazing freshness, finishing with great length and depth. |
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Bordeaux | 3 | 97 (VN (AG)) | HK$1,785.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)The 2019 Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Gracious and supremely elegant in feel, the 2019 is immediately impressive. An exotic melange of lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, passionfruit and tangerine oil opens effortlessly. The 2019 is compelling from start to finish. Harvest took place from October 8 to 15, in three passes. The 2019 is the first vintage that will be offered in a stylish new bottle. It is no secret Sauternes has struggled of late. I must say I really liked the new and very modern presentation, which shows a more playful side of Sauternes that might just work in creating a bit more excitement around these wines. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (NM)) | HK$1,215.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)The 2020 Rieussec has a slightly more petrolly bouquet than its peers, well-defined and focused—not complex, but there is admirable purity. The palate is very elegant on the entry, with superb levels of botrytis and a silver bead of acidity that upholds focus and tension. This Sauternes fans out wonderfully on the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. |
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Bordeaux | 7 | 94 (VN (NM)) | HK$2,850.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)The 2020 Rieussec has a slightly more petrolly bouquet than its peers, well-defined and focused—not complex, but there is admirable purity. The palate is very elegant on the entry, with superb levels of botrytis and a silver bead of acidity that upholds focus and tension. This Sauternes fans out wonderfully on the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-96 (VN (AG)) | HK$2,410.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-96)The 2021 Rieussec is bright, floral and super-refined. White flowers, lemon confit, pear, passionfruit and mint are all nicely lifted, with beams of bright acids that lend support. As has been the case in recent years, Rieussec is done in a style that is all about maintaining freshness and verve. There's plenty of both here. The 2021 was harvested over 3-4 picks. Yields are down 30%, which is a very favorable result for the year in Sauternes. The 125 grams of residual sugar are not at all evident. |
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Bordeaux | 73 | 95+ (WA) | HK$2,685.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (95+)With 139 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2022 Rieussec is one of the wines of the vintage. It reveals a complex, deep bouquet of exotic fruits, mangoes, dried apricots and spices. Full-bodied, dense and harmonious, it has a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and lively, delicate acidity, leading to a long, fruity and ethereal finish. Fermented in new barrels for the Sémillon and in one-year barrels for the Sauvignon Blanc, this beauty was matured for 18 months in the same barrels. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-96 (JD) | HK$1,780.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)An estate that’s on an upward trajectory, having just completed work on a new cellar, the 2018 Château Ripeau comes from just over 12 hectares of vines situated near the likes of Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and La Dominique, and is a rough blend of 67% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend 16-18 months in new French oak. It offers a deep purple color as well as terrific purity and precision in its vibrant cassis and black raspberry fruits and notes of spring flowers, spice box, and earth. Medium to full-bodied, silky, and seamless on the palate, it has building tannins, ample mid-palate depth, and good concentration, and stays light on its feet and incredibly elegant. This estate is managed by Julien Salles and gets consulting advice from Claude Gros. My money is on this 2018 being the best to date, and I suspect the best is still to come! |
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